Attorney General David Eby has appointed an independent expert to conduct a review of British Columbia’s anti-money-laundering policies and practices in the gambling industry, with a focus on the Lower Mainland.

”We’re going to make sure the gaming policies and procedures that protect the interests of British Columbians are in place and are being followed,” Eby said. “There are concerns about money laundering that have been growing for years – our government is taking action to deal with them quickly and thoroughly.”

Eby has asked lawyer Peter German, a former deputy commissioner of both the RCMP and Correctional Service Canada, and the author of Canada's leading anti-money-laundering law textbook, to conduct an independent review and make recommendations, if necessary, for reform.

Last week, the Government of B.C. released a 2016 report completed by MNP LLP that looked at practices related to suspicious cash transactions at a single B.C. casino. That report, commissioned by the former government but never publicly released, made a series of recommendations to reform provincial policies and practices.

“I believe that if we have the right policies and procedures in place, we can address any concerns the public may have about gambling in B.C.,” Eby said. “We have the full support of operators in the sector, as well as BCLC and the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch for this review.”

Eby has asked German to determine whether there is an unaddressed, or inadequately addressed, issue of money laundering in Lower Mainland casinos, and the history, nature and extent of any issues he identifies.

As part of the review, German will meet with government’s Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch, the BC Lottery Corporation, the Joint Illegal Gaming Investigation Team within British Columbia’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, casino service providers, and employee organizations at any identified facilities, as well as with any other parties who may assist.

German has also been asked provide advice to Eby about connections between any identified issues and other areas of the economy, or provincial laws or policies that may require attention as a result of information he gathers. 

The review will be complete by the end of March 2018. German has been asked to make recommendations to government as they are identified, rather than waiting for a final report, so that any necessary changes may be implemented in a timely way.

Quick Facts:

• German is a former deputy commissioner of both the RCMP and Correctional Service Canada. While with the RCMP, he spearheaded the creation of market enforcement and international anti-corruption teams.
• He is currently president of the International Centre for Criminal Justice Reform at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, a United Nations program network institute.
• A lawyer and member of the Ontario and British Columbia bars, German has a doctorate in law from the University of London, focused on international asset recovery.
• He is the author of Proceeds of Crime and Money Laundering (Thomson Reuters), Canada’s leading textbook on anti-money-laundering law.

Learn More:

A copy of the MNP Report can be found at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/sports-recreation-arts-and-culture/gambling/gambling-in-bc/reports/mnp_report-redacted.pdf

The Terms of Reference are available at: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/sports-recreation-arts-and-culture/gambling/gambling-in-bc/ag-independent-review-tor.pdf